3 minute read

Doomben played host to three Group 1 races on Saturday which featured the 2017 Stradbroke Handicap over 1350m.

Transferred from Eagle Farm due to the state of the track, it was the second time in the last three years that Doomben held the feature race.

Impending became the first three-year-old since Sincero in 2011 to win the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap doing enough over the concluding stages to hold off In Our Time by a narrow margin with Clearly Innocent a length away in third.

Settling back in the field from the wide draw with Corey Brown on board, Impending edged forward out wide coming to the turn, running on strongly in the straight to take the lead over the concluding stages.

Impending who was coming off a fourth placing in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) ran to a Timeform figure of 119, his highest rating since winning the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes last year.

In what was Darren Beadman’s first Group 1 success as a trainer, Impending ran one pound higher than 2016 winner Under The Louvre and one pound below Sincero the last three-year-old to win the race.

Srikandi took out the race when it was last held at Doomben in 2015 and ran to 115 before the mares allowance when beating Boban.

Impending ran to the average winning Timeform figure of the last five years and certainly looks to be building an impressive career record.

Of the beaten runners, In Her Time ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 117, six pounds above her win in the Group 2 Millie Fox (1300m) earlier in the year.

Clearly Innocent from the wide draw with the big weight was also good in third and ran to 121, the highest rating of the race and the same figure she ran to when winning the Kingsford-Smith.

Earlier in the day Ruthven became the seventh colt or gelding in a row to win the Group 1 Queensland Derby which was dropped back to 2200m due to being run at Doomben.

Settling off the leaders in third, Ruthven blew away his rivals in the straight to run out an easy winner by just under four lengths with Rockstar Rebel second and Ana Royale third.

The Ciaron Maher-trained runner ran up to his previous career peak Timeform figure of 113, running the same number when fourth in the Group 1 Australian Derby earlier in the year and five pounds above his second placing in the South Australian Derby.

The average winning Timeform figure for the last five years is 113 with 2016 winner Eagle Way also running to that figure when beating Rodrico and I’m Belucci.

Rockstar Rebel in second ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 105, ten pounds above his previous best, well up in grade on previous runs.

Ana Royale in third ran to a Timeform figure of 99, the first filly to make her way into the placings of the Queensland Derby since Quintessential ran second in 2012 (105), only five fillies lining up in the race since then.

Punters assumed the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) would be all but a formality for the well fancied Melody Belle who was sent out the short priced favourite.

Finishing down the track, it was the local runner Capital Gain who came from well back in the field to claim a narrow win over Aloisia in second with Taking Aim third.

Having not won a Group 1 race since 2008, jockey Jim Byrne has now won two this carnival also partnering Redzel in the Doomben 10,000 recently.

Capital Gain ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 106, five pounds above his previous best, achieved twice earlier in the preparation.

In what was a fairly average running of the two-year-old feature, Capital Gain is the lowest rated winner of the race since Freemason won in 1999.

Sacred Elixir who won in 2016 ran to 115p, following Press Statement running to 114p when winning in 2015 well above the 106 achieved by Capital Gain.

The Racing and Sports field strength value of 104.2 is quite low for a two-year-old Group 1 race and well below the 2016 renewal of 108.9.

Of the placegetters, Aloisia ran to a clear new career peak Timeform figure of 90, 11 pounds above her win at Flemington the start prior with Taking Aim in third also running to a new career peak of 103, one pound above his Sires’ placing.

Melody Belle was well below her best in tenth and may well be looking for a well earned break.